Waterproof fabric



UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOIIN II. STEVENS, OF NEWARK, NEYV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE CELLU- LOID COMPANY, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

WATERPROOF FABRIC.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 612,067, dated October 1 1, 1898.

Application filed April 15, 1898. Serial No. 677,674. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN H. STEVENS, of the city of Newark, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Waterproof Fabrics, of which the following is a specification.

Fabrics such as cloth, felt, and paper have been coated or saturated with pyroxylin solutions for the purpose of making them waterproof. Such solutions generally contain oils. The non-drying oils turn-rancid in the course of time, which gives these fabrics a disagreeable odor and to a large extent afiects the strength. The most prominent non-drying oil used for the purpose has been castoroil. I have improved these waterproof fabrics by the introduction of certain new elements into the combinations, by means of which I secure a waterproof fabric in which the tendency of the oils to turn rancid is largely diminished. As a consequence my fabrics have a less disagreeable odor and are more durable. I accomplish this by combining my waterproofing solutions withthe aromatic acids or salts or compounds containing themfTIie principahapomati'c acids are naphtoic, salicylic, and benzoic acids, and the representative salts or compounds are sodium benzoate, naphthol, benzoate, salicylate of soda, &c., all of these salts being within my invention and more or less eiiicient for the purpose.

As an example of a waterproof solution for use in making my compound fabric, I would recommend the following: pyroxylin, one hundred parts; castor-oil, one hundred and fifty parts; camphor, one hundred and fifty parts; sodium salicylate, four parts, and wood-spirit su fficient to make a solution which can be spread. The nature of the peculiar decomposition to which these oils are subject and which results in rancidity has not been understood by chemists. It was not clearly known, for instance, that an antiseptic substance would operate to retard such decomposition. I have discovered, however, that this is a fact and that the rancidity of castoroil, for instance, is probably due to the same causes which generally operate to decompose organic matter.

WVhile the term antiseptic is a somewhat general one, nevertheless it is sufficiently understood by chemists and others, and the antiseptic properties of substances are also well known. Consequently the operator is already sufficiently informed as to the antiseptic value of the diiferent compounds or salts containing the aromatic acids, and it is therefore unnecessary for me to give any fur- 6o ther description in order to enable him to practically use this invention.

Above all I would recommend the salicylate or benzoate of soda; but there are other salts and compounds from which the operator may select. I prefer to select an antiseptic salt or compound which is soluble in the solvent employedsay in wood spiritalthough while this gives the best eifects it is not absolutely necessary, because antiseptic 7o salts or compounds can be thoroughly ground with the oil in a paint-mill or otherwise.

The proportions can be varied according to the peculiar circumstances of each case, such as the amount of oil, the expected rancidity, and the strength of the antiseptic selected for use. The proportions generally will vary from two to five parts, by weight, of the antiseptic to each one hundred parts of pyroxylin.

Having fully described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A fabric waterproofed by a pyroxylin compound which contains pyroxylin, a nondrying oil, and a salt which contains an aromatic acid, substantially as described.

2. A fabric waterproofed by a pyroxylin compound which contains pyroxylin, castoroil, and a salt containing salicylate of soda, substantially as described.

JOHN H. STEVENS.

Witnesses:

ABRAHAM M-ANNERs, JAMES .W. SCOTT. 

